Sports

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The Sul Ross Lady Lobos basketball team, like all of the other athletic teams at Sul Ross, is facing their final season of Division Three play in the American Southwest Conference. This season the Lady Lobos have eight returning players from last season who helped to set the women’s basketball program with their best winning record during Sul Ross’ NCAA era.

The Sul Ross State University Rodeo Team wrapped up its fall season at Texas Tech in Lubbock this past weekend. Colten Leech would shine in the steer wrestling event and take home the first-place spot with a time of 4.4 seconds in the short-go to win the average. Not to be outdone, Chisum Allen also earned a win in the tie-down roping with a 9.4-second run in the long-go followed up by a 9.6-second run in the short-go. Cole Hollen would add to the team’s success with a second-place finish in the bareback riding with a 78-point ride in the short-go and Tanner Skene placed ninth in the bull riding.

The 2023 UIL Texas volleyball state championship race is underway, and the Alpine Lady Bucks have entered the foray by winning the bi-district competition against Merkel. Last week the Alpine team won the district championship with their game against Presidio.

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The Fightin’ Buck’s Thursday game against Tornillo came to a sudden end last week when in the first quarter, team members from both sides had to be pulled out of a fight and off the field. Head football coach and athletic director Andy Smith said after the game, “It was an unfortunate incident, something that we are addressing internally with discipline.” After the Buck’s last score, made by Moses Riggens from a 45-yard pass from Devon Rojo, and a kick from Walter Urbanczyk, Alpine was up 43-0 over Tornillo.

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On Friday, Buck Stadium was the background to the Alpine homecoming ceremonies and game played against Odessa Compass Academy. The Fightin’ Bucks brought home the win with a final score of 33-18.

The Alpine Runnin’ Bucks are headed to state. The girls’ varsity team consisting of seniors Mia Morris and Tannin Ritchie, junior Hope Dominguez, sophomores Emy Hernandez and Megan Struthers, and freshmen Colette Fowlkes and Molly Garrett competed in the Region 1-3A cross country championship on Monday in Lubbock. Four teams of 24 advance to the state competition from region one. The girls were ranked in the top six teams in the region but were not considered one of the favorites to advance. But the girls led by Mia Morris and Emy Hernandez grabbed the third-place team spot, much to the surprise of some, advancing to the state cross country championship. Alpine has had some great runners and teams in the past with several individuals advancing to the state meet under both Coach Keith and Coach Cason but the Runnin’ Bucks have not advanced as a team in recent memory. Mia Morris ran a 12:31 on a difficult hilly Lubbock course placing fourth amongst 2023 state track caliber distance runners. Emy Hernandez ran a personal best of 13:28 in 19th place.